The Holes in our Hearts
by J-K-Roaring
Summary: The Battle of Hogwarts is over, and Voldemort is dead. All should be well. But as the survivors struggle to come to terms with everything that has happened, and all the wounds left behind, they're forced to look at themselves, and the darkness they hold in their hearts, and the people, however unlikely, that can heal it.
1. The List

**The Holes in our Heart**

 **A/N : Alright, I know I see it everday when I'm reading other peoples FF, but it almost seems like a right of passage to tell you all to be gentle, this is my first story. I'm hoping to be able to update weekly or even twice a week, depending on the response this gets. Well, here it is!**

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Since the Battle of Hogwarts, just two days past, Harry, Ron and Hermione had been staying at the Burrow, helping Kingsley set up a temporary Ministry of Magic, drafting letters to foreign dignitaries, and, probably most difficult, helping Molly set up, and attend the many funerals.

The worst part had been meeting with the parents of the Muggle-born students of Hogwarts. Knowing full well the lengths at which she had gone to hide the turmoil of her world from her parents, Hermione was more than sure the parents of others like her had no idea the goings on of the magical world, much less that their child had been caught in the tangled web. The thought occurred to her the day after the battle, as families from both sides came to claim fallen loved one. With a jolt of her heart, Hermione realized that not one Muggle born had been claimed yet, and she felt a pang of guilt for not thinking of it earlier.

She sought out the Headmistress, and prompted the elderly woman about her cause. The second the words had left her mouth however, the venerable lady's face fell. It seemed that she too, had let things fall through the cracks.

Headmistress McGonagall had immediately organized a group of lingering houselves, with desperate looks on their faces, to find and retrieve the student files of everyone who had been in the battle, agreeing with Hermione that not only do the families of the slain need to be notified, but all who had participated. She mutely nodded her head at Hermione's tentative suggestion that the families would need to be prepared for the wounds, both physical and emotional, of their returning loved ones. The houselves were back within the hour, seemingly eager to be of use, and ready for the next task. Hermione immediately began putting together a group of people to be the ones to talk to families. Neville and Parvati agreed to talking to all the pure blood families of the living and deceased, while Luna, Ginny and Dean Thomas would talk to the families of the half-bloods who would have some idea of the events at Hogwarts. Hermione desperately tried to think of someone able to talk to the Muggle families, wanting to send someone capable of delivering the news and explaining the events in a way that Non-magic people would understand.

That task had been left to Hermione and Ron. Harry had politely declined all but a few visits, saying he didn't want to tarnish the fallens memory by him showing up, and turning the whole thing into a spectacle. Already, he was being swarmed with foreign and domestic requests for his presence and story. Hermione knew that, given the choice, Harry would have shown uop to each and every house, of all involved. Although she would have appreciated her friends help, especially since he would have been a perfect person to join her in talking with Muggle born families, given his own upbringing, she knew that it was a decision to forgo visiting families was already very difficult for him.

The first family he'd appeared at to offer his condolences to, was Lavender Brown. Hermione had been going over her list of family names that she and Ron would be talking with the following day, another trying day of telling families that had no idea what was going on in the magical world, that their child was never coming home, and all the names seemed to blur together in her moist eyes, when one name popped out at her. Lavenders name. Although Ron and Lavender had called it quits more than a year ago, she somehow didn't feel right going with him to tell his ex-girlfriends family the tragic news.

She knew that Ron would never ask her _not_ to go with him, but she was sure that he would not be able to open up once they were there, the way that he needed to, even though she so wished that he would let her in. On the other hand, sending him alone to face Lavenders family was not something that she could do. Although she'd love for it to be her, she knew that after the entire ordeal was over, he would need _someone_ to talk to. She considered briefly asking Ginny, but Ginny had a long full list of visits the next day as well. Finally, she knew what it was that she had to do.

She found Harry exactly where she had thought he'd be, sitting in the small, cramped room just off the kitchen that Arthur had sometimes used as an office, talking low with Percy, who was acting as a go between for Kingsley and Harry. She stood in the doorway and cracked a forlorn smile at the small head of powder blue hair that was Teddy Lupin, and the scarlet head of hair next to him. Since getting settled, Harry never seemed to want to be to far away from Teddy or Ginny, and they both were more than happy to stay within arms reach of him. Hermione sighed and caught Harry's eye and beckoned to him. He roused Ginny, whose head has been resting against Harry's arm, and passed Teddy to her, and made his way through the clutter. He looked at her expectantly outside of the door, and with a lump in her throat, she silently held the list out to him. She opened her mouth to explain, but no words came out. He took the list quizzically, and looked down at it. He scanne dthe page or a second, and she saw the look of sad comprehension cross his face.

"I can't.." she barely managed to croak before her voice seemed to die in her throat.

Harry nodded, and wrapped his arm around the back of her head and brought it to his chest. "I know." He sighed into her hair and pressed a light kiss against the crown of her head and said, "It's probably all the best if I go anyways. Ron might need to talk, and I'm sure he's not going to want to bring it up to you with everything going on."

She just nodded at him. Since the battle of Hogwarts, she and Ron had been trying to find a moment to talk about them, but with all the activity over the past few days, they just hadn't had an opportunity to be alone yet. Ron was sure not going to mention his former girlfriend and all of the lingering feelings when he and Hermione didn't even know where they stood yet. "Alright.", she whispered, "I'll use that extra time to finish up the letter of thanks to Ambassador Dufour in the French ministry, for sending some ingredients from their potions stores. It's really helped, St. Mungo's was compleatly wiped out. I already took care of that other thing for you." She hesitated, not quite meeting his eye, knowing the emotions that were surely in his eyes, would push her's over the edge. "Kingsley already agreed to and signed the paperwork. He had the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot sign everything this morning and Percy brought them up to me before he found you."

She snuck a peak at him and saw him nod, stony faced, and he said gruffly, "Thanks 'mione, I don't think I'd have been able to-," he stopped, his voice coming out slightly strangled, and she just nodded back and took the list from his hand. "I'll let Ron know you're going with him tomorrow instead of myself." Harry nodded as she walked away, emotion still thick in his throat, and he turned back to the room to finish his meeting with Percy, desperate for Teddy and Ginny to be back in his arms.

"Oh, and Harry?" He turned back to her, eyes searching her face.

"Thanks."

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 **A/N: Well, that's it! It's out there! Let me know what you all think, please please please, and if you notice awful mistakes please let me know! I should have the next chapter out in the next two or three days! As always, thank you all so so much!**


	2. The Visit

The next morning, Harry and Ron set off to the Browns family home, while Hermione stayed behind.

Even though Harry had been adamant about not going with Ron and her on their black parade, he had made an exception for one other than Lavender.

Colin Creevy's family had been nothing less than delighted to find Harry outside their door on that cold May day. They said they knew who he was immediately, and ushered him and Hermione inside, offering tea and biscuits. Before Harry could even get a word out, Mrs. Creevy started chattering about that first year, when Colin had learned he was a wizard, and him coming home with all of his magic books, and learning about famous Harry Potter, and how, even more exciting, the first summer he returned from school, he was practically exploding with new information. His favorite part of the year was not turning a matchstick into a needle though. It was by far meeting Harry, and becoming close friends with him. She went on about how Colin told them that he had been sorted into Gryffindor, ( His parents clearly had no idea what that meant, but they looked proud all the same), and was able to share a common room with Harry, and how much it meant to them that he had taken Colin under his wing.

During Mrs. Creevy's spiel, Harry had just sat there, a frozen smile plastered on his pale face, gripping Hermione's hand in an increasingly tight restraint. She could see it in his face that every on of her words was hitting hard at his heart. She looked at Mrs. Creevy, who was still chattering happily about how grateful her and her husband were for Harry to be in Colin's life. Mrs. Creevy glanced up, and must have seen their stoney faces, because her smile faltered a bit, and she said rather hopefully, "Look at me going off like that. Silly. By the way, where is Colin?" She looked around the room, as if she expected him to be just behind her, right out of sight. "Has he come with you? We've been expecting a letter from him any day now, but sometimes he forgets-.." Her voice slowly faded away as she stared at Harry, who was looking away, face contorting with emotion. Her large eyes jumped to Hermione, who said in a low, firm voice,"Mrs. Creevy, I wonder if Colin has spoken to you or your husband about what's been going on these past few years in the magical world? I wonder if he's ever mentioned, erm, Voldemort?"

Mrs. Creevy stared at her husband sitting on the couch next to her, then back at Hermione, the said, "Well, yes, he mentioned him before," her eyes glanced at Harry, still unable to meet Mrs. Creevy's eyes, "That that was the reason Harry became so famous. He just mentioned that he was a dark wizard and he was gone. Where did you say Colin was again?," her voice rose a little, her eyes growing wider.

"Erm, well, that's actually what we came here to talk with you about today. You see-," Hermione started. A small voice suddenly rang out from behind Harry and Hermione. "He's back mum. He's back and worse than before. He stayed and fought, didn't he? He told me I couldn't stay, and that he wasn't going to stay and fight, but I knew he was lying." Harry and Hermione both whirled around to see Dennis Creevy standing in the doorway, a look of resignation on his face. "Back..?" Mrs. Creevy started. "Yes, he's back and Harry has already fought him three times, and then he did it again just a a few days ago. The day I came home. I wanted to stay and help fight, but Colin made me come back. He never thought I could help, he wouldn't even have let me join Dumbledore's Army if I hadn't overheard him and Ginny Weasley talking about it in the common room. I just wanted to stay with him, at the castle, but he told me I had to come home. He said he'd come back as soon as he could." He had made his way over the where his parents sat, a look of mild confusion on both of their faces. Hermione had felt a knot forming in the pit of her stomach during his speech that tightened in on itself as Mr. and Mrs. Creevy looked back and forth from their son to their guests, both parties seemingly locked in a staring contest.

"He's not coming back, is he?"

Harry stood suddenly, arms tight at his side, breathing hard, "Dennis..."

Dennis just shook his head, mouth tight and looking back at him. "Please Harry, I just need to know.." A quiver in his voice stopped him from vocalizing just exactly what it was that he needed from Harry, who bowed his head, but remained silent. Dennis just stared back at him, fighting back tears.

"Hang on, whadaya mean by 'he ain't comin' back' Den? Of course he is, why wouldn' he?" This came from Mr. Creevy, speaking for the first time since their arrival. "He tol' us he be writing us a letter soon, but maybe it go' lost? I'm sure your mail tends ta do that too, doesn't it?"

"Dennis? Is there something you haven't told us duckie?" She turned to Harry and Hermione, "Is Colin hurt? Did something happen? Where is he? I remember getting that letter from Mr. Dumbledore his first year that he had been hurt, something about a snake, but that the wards on your school wouldn't let us through. Do we need to bring him anything? Callum, we need to to go to him!" She stood and addressed her husband, who remained seated on the couch, eyes fixed on Harry still motionless frame, regarding him with stormy eyes. "Callum!" Mrs. Creevys voice spiked towards desperate as she yanked her husband by his arm in an attempt to pull him from the couch. "We need to go to Colin, he needs us! We should take some of his things from his room, you know how fond he is of that camera, we should grab that along with a couple of changes of clothes... Callum?" She finally stopped pulling and looked at her husband, who had not moved an inch.

"He's not coming back is he?"

Harry finally looked up and made eye contact with Mr. Creevy, and Hermione saw something pass between them. Mrs. Creevy turned to look expectantly at Harry, as if waiting for him to say Colin had mearly sprained an ankle, or broken his arm, that of course he was coming home. The silence dragged on for days, although mearly a few seconds passed, before Harry said, voice thick, "I am so sorry. I really and truly am-.." His voice was cut off by Mrs. Creevy who looked back at Harry with a horrified expression on her face. "No, surely you're mistaken. Not Colin, we just spoke with him the other day! He could be home at any moment, hurt! We have to get his things for him! Callum, please tell them it wasn't Colin! Callum-?" She looked around desperately for her husband, gesturing wildly up the stairs Dennis had come down from,"Please, we need to go get him! He's hurt and we need to help him Callum, please we need to go!"

Mr. Creevy stood and crossed the room with two strides of his long legs, and wrapped his burly arms around his frantic wife. She struggled away from him, trying to pull him up the stairs. Dennis did not move.

"Deidra." Mr. Creevys low, husky voice broke through his wife's desperate pleas to go to her firstborn, and seemed to fill the room with a heavy finality. "We can go to him, but... we can't help him."

Hermione, who had been discreetly wiping at her dripping eyes, said in a shaky voice,"Mr. and Mrs. Creevy, I am so, so sorry. Every single one of us loved Colin, and if there is anything we can do for you, anything at all, please just know that the entire wizarding community is standing behind you right now." She reached out and gripped the other woman's hand and gave it a brief squeeze and offered her other hand to Dennis, who did not acknowledge it.

Mrs. Creevy turned to look up at her husband and croaked out, "What do we do now? Can we see him? Is he still..." she paused as if not knowing how to phrase her question. "It's just that you said he was involved in some kind of battle, and when young boys go off and fight here, sometimes when they come back, they're not even recognizable. Is my son.." She stopped again, emotion filling overtaking her voice.

"He looks as peaceful as if he'd just fallen asleep." Harry spoke softly, sounding as though the words meant just as much to him as he hoped they would for his parents.

Mr. Creevy turned to look at Harry, and Harry turned to meet his eyes, and Mr. Creevy asked gruffly,"What happened to my boy?"

Harry sat back and on the couch, and gestured for Mr. and Mrs. Creevy to do the same. Hermione offered to make tea, and went to the kitchen and began the familiar task of putting the kettle on to boil. The monotomy of it was soothing. She went to the fridge to fetch the milk, but before she opened the door, a bit of movement caught her attention. She stood there for a while, looking at the moving picture of herself against the white of the kitchen. She stood next to Harry laughing at some private joke that had been shared. Her heart lurched as Harry turned, a wide smile on his face, and dragged someone from the other side of the camera into the picture. Colin Creevy barely went up to Harry's elbow, and his face was still young and excited, especially as Harry threw an arm over his shoulder and all 3 of them looked back at her expectantly.

If she had to guess, it was probably a picture from the beginning of his second year. His face glowed up at Harry, while Hermione smiled fondly down at him. She felt a lump in her throat form as she remembered the boy, always eager to talk with Harry, no matter the time or place. She had always liked him, and regarded him with a particular fondness, especially after she had been awaken from the basilisks spell, and found him sitting next to her bed, reading softly to himself. She remembered him telling her that he had woken up about an hour prior to her, but had waited to rejoin their house for end of term feast, until he was sure she would be alright.

"He looks happy there, huh?" Hermione jumped around with a start, not having noticed that Dennis had followed her into the kitchen, and had sat himself at the table. "It was one of his favorite's. He has loads more in his room, with almost everyone from Gryffindor." He looked down at his hands sadly. "I remember the first year he was gone, oh how I missed him. He would write me all the time, taking about everything going on at school. But the letters started coming less often, and then they just stopped. The day of my eleventh birthday, I waited up all night, just hoping to get a letter. I remember him telling me the day before, how rare it was for two children from the same non-magic family to both have magic, but when my owl showed up, he looked like he was going to burst with pride. It made us closer than I ever thought we'd be again. When I got to Hogwarts and was sorted with him, I knew that we'd get closer, I knew we'd always be close because of it. I was relived I would never have to go without him again. I guess I was wrong, huh." He gave a short bitter laugh, then glanced up at her. All she could do was stare sadly back.

"Harry's in the right now, telling them about the battle, but I don't think I could listen to that right now. Maybe someday." His gaze flickered over to the fridge where Harry was now talking animatedly to Hermione, while a young Colin looked on in awe. "He talked about you alot too. It wasn't just Harry. He told me how you'd help him with homework, or just talk with him when no one else would. He told me so much about all of you all, when I got there my first year, I felt as if I knew you all." He turned to look at Hermione again, who was rubbing stubbornly at her eyes again.

A sharp, shrill noise sounded behind her. With a start, she realized the kettle had finally gone off. She got up and hurriedly made her way over to it, thankful to have a moments respite. She took her time with the tray, using the opportunity to make a pass at her eyes with her sleeve again.

"Hermione?"

She turned to look at him, at a loss for words. What is there to say at a time like this?

"I'm really glad you and Harry came today. I know it would have meant alot to Colin to have you here."

She smiled back at him, and gestured back to the sitting room. "You go ahead," he said, "I'll be in in just a moment." She nodded her head, and made her way in, leaving Dennis behind in the kitchen. As the door swung shut bend her, she saw him turn to look at the fridge once more.

Mrs. Creevy half sat, half lay against her husband as Hermione returned into the room. Both Mr. and Mrs. seemed to be hanging on every word coming from Harry's mouth. Mrs. Creevy took a cup with an almost desperate need, downing half of the cup of scalding liquid with abandon, while Mr. Creevy just sat his on the small table in front of him, still looking to Harry to continue. It seemed that while she had had a small respite with Dennis in the kitchen, Harry had drawn the story to a close already.

"So, you're telling me that this, er, Voldemor' came back, and my Colin has been keeping it from us this whole time?" Mr. Creevy looked back and forth between Harry and Hermione. "Why would he do that? If I'd'a known, him and Dennis wouldn' have gone back to the bloody school to begin with." He said this last part in the general direction of Harry, then looked down at his still shell shocked wife.

"Mr. Creevy, he might have not told you for that precise reason," said Hermione. "

"Colin was strong, and brave. He stood up for himself, Dennis, his friends and classmates, and those who couldn't stand up for themselves. This past year especially, he has been a leader at school, and a beacon of hope and perseverance. He stayed to help the cause he believed in, stayed to help others. I know he didn't want to lie to you, but this was just something that was too important. This was bigger than just him, and he died tragically, but for a cause he truly believed in" The words came out of Hermione without her realizing she has started. She wondered if she was talking entirely about Colin, or if some of herself leaking into her monologue. She looked down at her own tea, slightly embarrassed.

"He always was helping others. The first day of primary school, he walked Dennis to his class and told all of the other students if any of them were anything less than polite to him, they'd have to answer to him. I was so upset to have to get a call from the headmaster, but I have never been so proud." Mrs. Creevy looked up and made eye contact with Hermione and the two women shared a small smile, as Mrs. Creevy continued, "Except for now of course."

Mr. Creevy looked at Harry, and said, "My boy, can we go to him?"

"Ministry officials will be by later today with an official letter from the Minister himself, they'll make arrangements with you on what you'd like to do. We all understand if you'd like to keep it small, just the family, but if it's not a bother, there are so many people who would love to come and pay their respects to him." Harry gave Hermione a pointed glance, and she realized with a start what he meant. She grabbed her beaded bag from beside her, and began searching furiously within it. Mr. and Mrs. Creevy looked on in mild wonder as her shoulder disappeared within the bag that looked no bigger than a pocketbook. After a second, Mrs. Creevy turned to Harry and said, "Of course we'd love to do something ourselves, but I think it's pretty clear that you are a part of his family too, and it'd be a travesty to not include that part of Colin's life. It just wouldn't be complete." She looked up at her husband for verification, and he simply nodded.

"Ah-Ha!" cried Hermione, then cringed when she saw their startled faces looking back at her. "Sorry. It's just... Harry, I've found it." She gave them all a sheepish smile as she handed an official looking piece of parchment to him.

"Oh, yes," he said, "Er, Mr. and Mrs. Creevy, Colin was a hero. I'm not only saying this as his friend, and fellow fighter, but as someone who lived through and has seen everything Colin has accomplished in his 16 short years. I wish that I could be giving you 16 more years back, more time with your son, but I hope that you'll accept this in it's stead. I know that nothing can ever replace the hole in your hearts from this loss, nor would I ever try, but please accept this award on Colin's behalf. You can display it if you'd like. It's bewitched to look like a commendation from the Muggle Ministry, but anyone with a drop of Magic blood will be able to see it for what it really is. This is called an Order of Merlin, first class, and it's just a small token of our appreciation for everything that Colin has accomplished. It comes with a monetary award also, and I can give you that now, or if you'd like I can have it exchanged for Muggle currency-..." He was cut off by Mrs. Creevy falling to her knees in front of him, and flinging her arms around his neck. He looked back at Hermione, who mearly grimaced at him. Mrs. Creevy's sobs filled the room.

"It's not that we don't appreciate all of this ya' know," said Mr. Creevy, "We do. It's just-..." Raw emotion filled the voice of this wild looking, burly man, as he shook his head, lowered himself to his knees besides his wife, and pulled her wailing form from Harry, into his arms.

Dennis appeared back in the door frame in an instant. Hermione has the distinct feeling that he had been just around the corner, listening, a suspicion that was confirmed when he looked past her and said, "We can discuss that later Harry. Thank you for coming to tell us yourselves. I'm sure you have lot's more visits to make today. You're welcome to stay longer if you'd like, but there will be time for everything more later. Right?"

Harry nodded mutely, rose to his feet, and said thickly, "I really am so sorry for your loss. Believe me when I say this is one that has been felt by the whole community. Please, if you need anything at all, don't hesitate to let myself, or any one else know." Harry looked down at them for a second longer, then turned to leave, his eyes glistening. "Dennis." With a small nod at the brother-less boy, Harry picked up his coat and headed to the front door.

Hermione picked up the parchment that had fallen to the floor, and placed it on the table, next to Mr. Creevy's untouched cold tea, retrieved her bag and coat, then turned to Dennis and said, "I am really am truly sorry. Please don't hesitate to get in contact with us." She gave his hand a brief squeeze, then turned to join Harry by the front door. As the door closed behind her, she saw one final image of Dennis sitting beside his mother and father on the floor, all of them letting liquid grief pour from their eyes.

"I wonder if I'll ever have a chance to be a part of a family again, even a broken one," Hermione thought, thinking of her parents, lost to her. She felt a twinge in her stomach as she turned to Harry, and whispered, "Let's go home." And they joined hands and with a faint pop, disappeared into the night.

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 **There you have it! The second chapter! It's so cool to see all the people who read the first chapter! One person from Poland, 2 from Australia, 4 from the UK and even one person in the Philippians! Thanks everyone! LMK if you find anything wrong in this one! I did fix the mistakes you were kind enough to point out in the last one :( So sorry! Anyway, the next chapter should be up sometime this week. Please review and tell me if you'd like to see anything in the coming chapters!**


	3. Chapter 3

After they returned to The Burrow, Harry and Hermione simply sat outside, next to the long row of muddy Wellington boot, not speaking a word. They sat for what felt like an eternity, thinking of the family they had just left behind, and in Hermione's case, the one she hoped to get back. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw what looked like a muddy potato running towards then, giggling like mad, when Ron came sprinting around the corner after it. He slowed to a stop, the grin sliding off of his face at Hermione's and Harry's expression.

"Just got back from the Creevy's then?," he asked, his eyes flickering between the two. Harry just gave a stiff nod, the rose to go through the door leading directly into the kitchen. Ron looked back and forth between Hermione's tear stained face, and the door his best friend had just walked through. Hermione could see the wheels turning in his mind as he tried to work out which one needed him the most right now. Hermione gave an internal sigh. She knew this would have been an ideal time to talk about them, and everything that would entail, but she knew that conversation could wait until a later time. Harry on the other hand...

She let a sigh escape from her mouth, drawing Ron's attention to her again. She gave him a small smile of reassurance, then jerked her head for Ron to go after Harry. Ron looked at her for another second, gave a nod, and put his hand on her shoulder as he has walking by. "I'll come find you later."

She waited a moment, before sighing to herself again, "If I had a knut for every time I've heard that..," she thought to herself before becoming distracted by another wandering gnome. She stared at it for a minute, becoming lost in the wild patterns of it's muddy, horned little feet. She heard the crunch of gravel coming up behind her again and waited to see if Ron had returned sooner than expected. Her bubble of hope was quickly popped by Luna's voice however, as her young friend came to sit next to her. "I saw Harry and Ron heading upstairs. Harry had the same look on his face as Ron did when they got back from Lavenders yesterday," she said bluntly, "I figured they needed some time to talk. I didn't see you come in, so I figured you might need to talk too. Ginny said that Harry's been really down lately, especially with Tonks and Remus' funeral only two days away. Andromeda was by while you two were out, and said she'd like to take possession of Teddy after it's over. Ginny is upstairs waiting to tell Harry, no one else wanted to, because they know he's going to take it hard. I can't imagine any of this has been easy on you either. A parent-less child tasked with informing parents that they are now childless. What a cruel twist of fate, wouldn't you say?"

She gazed back at Hermione dreamily, as Hermione stared back in shock. She'd been thinking the same thing since receiving this duty from McGonagall. It seemed surreal to though to hear her same thoughts coming from Luna's mouth however. Ever since she too had come to stay at the burrow after the final battle, she had kept mostly to herself up in Ginny's room, and this was the first time Hermione had spoken to her since. It seemed that she'd been saving up talking points specifically for this occasion.

Luna, seeming oblivious to Hermione's incredulous look on her face, went on, "Ron also seems lost. Especially without Fred. I quite liked him, he once asked me at school about Moon frogs, and he only seemed to be half-joking. It's really very sad. And yesterday when he came back from La-,"

"Luna, really, I'd love to talk more, but I've just remembered that I have to go tell Mrs. Weasley we're expecting one more tomorrow, and you know how she is about last minute additions to the kitchen table. I'll see you inside though." Hermione rushed in through the door, away from Luna's wide and insightful eyes. She could not even at this point discuss Ron with herself, much less out loud with Luna.

She walked in the same door her two best friends had gone through what seemed like ages ago, into the Kitchen where Mrs. Weasley was bustling about, waving her wand at pots and pans, muttering to herself as she pushed back her sleeves, wand never resting for a second. "..still have to stop by Diagon Alley for Ginerva's school things, but can't even walk out past the wards without some fool photographer trying to get a picture of Harry. Poor dear, can't even go fetch himself a cuppa if the urge strikes him. I'll have to speak to Arthur abo-, Oh, Hermione dear, I didn't see you there. Harry and Ron just went up if you're looking for them. Is everything alright? Harry had a look on his face, but I didn't want to bother him, these last few days have been so hard on him, he just needs some good food in him and a bit of rest." Mrs. Weasley looked flustered as she gazed around the chaos that was her kitchen, clearly in search of something. Pots and pans were still flying around her head, adjusting their soapy flight around her as she moved unblinkingly through them, shuffling things on the counter continuing her search until she uncovered a rather large serving tray, and began summoning things from all around. She began loading it with meats and cheeses, biscuits and tea, and little pieces of candy that seemed to come out from every recess of the kitchen.

"Hermione, if you could just take this up to the boys, and tell them that dinner will be ready in about an hour..," she came to a stop in front of Hermione and faltered. "Hermione dear," she stared in a conversational voice, "just got back, did you?" Hermione looked down and flushed. Mrs. Weasley seemed to understand and nodded and said, "Come to think of it, I needed to do a bit of washing, so I should go up and see if they have anything. Help yourself to anything down here, you know that this is your home too." Balancing the tray with her wand and patting Hermione with her other hand, Mrs. Weasley gave Hermione a warm smile, and began walking up the arrow stairs, muttering to herself about "Don't know what Mcgonagall was thinking" and "poor things are wasting away". Hermione smiled a bit under her breath and thanked Merlin that Mrs. Weasley had realized that, perhaps, they needed a minute to breath. Her eyes popped open with a start, and she remembered what she had come in for, and rushed up after her, and asked if she would mind an addition to the table for the next night. Mrs. Weasley agreed without a second thought, and continued up the stairs while Hermione was left alone with her thoughts.

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Dinner was always a big affair at the Wesley's, with the 8 of them, Fleur and Victoire, Harry, Hermione, Luna, Neville and Hermione's guest. Steaming piles of sausage and chops were dwarfed only by enormous puddings and casseroles that Mrs. Weasley was so wonderful at creating.

They had all began to gather around the table when the back door swung open, and Hermione saw the figure in the dusky light of the setting sun. She gasped and felt a lump form in her throat that, only abated when the figure stepped inside the kitchen and into the light. Every time she saw Andromeda Tonks, Hermione felt her breath being taken away by the obvious similarities between her, and her sister. With the same dark hair piled atop her head and dark, heavy lidded eyes, her resemblance to Bellatrix made Hermione feel her knife digging into her arms all over again.

"Dromeda, so glad you made it! I was beginning to think you had gotten lost," Harry stood and rushed over to her, giving her a hug and taking the sleeping Teddy from her arms.

"I had a little trouble getting Teddy down to sleep. It's hard to keep from laughing with him when he keeps flashing his face to look like mine, all scruched up scolding him. Nymphadora used to do the same thing to Ted and I, but she'd usually throw in a pigs nose or a unibrow to make it more entertaining. How we got her to do anything is beyond me." She smiled at Harry who tipped his head back and laughed. "It's no small surprise Teddy inherited his mothers sense of humor."

"Tonks wouldn't have had it any other way," he said looking down lovingly at the boy.

"No, you're right. A spirit like hers would definitely have lived on in her children." She moved closer to Harry to look down at the sleeping little boy, whose featured so resembled her own daughters now that he slept.

Behind Hermione a chair scrapped back loudly and crashed into the floor as it tipped over. It's user turned and fled up the stairs, not stopping for a second to look back.

"George!" Mrs Weasley, who was also wiping at her eyes got up and hurried after him. Hermione felt her stomach tighten. It had taken them almost 3 days after Fred's death to get George to even come down and eat with them. The room that they had shared had been oddly quiet until the wee hours of the morning on the third day, when what seemed like the entire English artillery went off, waking the entire house. When Hermione had woken next to Ginny's flailing limbs, she had thought wildly that Voldemort was back. Once Mr. Weasley, Harry and Percy had realized that it was George and no one was hurt, everyone went back to their respective room silently as the barrage went on. No one said anything about it the next morning, nor that night or any other night when it happened again.

Harry looked at Mr. Weasley with a guilty look on his face, still cradling Teddy to him. The silence seemed to weigh on all of them as the thought of the empty chair that had been next to George. It was Charlie that spoke first and said, "Don't worry about a thing Harry. This morning I made a comment on that old Ford Angelina dad used to have to mum, and George nearly barreled me over trying to get up to his room." Harry gave a sheepish smile to everyone as he went to sit next to Ginny again, and Luna conjured up a chair next to her for Andromeda.

Once they were all settled, they looked around expectantly, for anyone caught sneaking food on his or her plate before Mrs. Weasley gave the OK, would surly not do it again. Hermione shuddered at the first time her and Ginny had been chatting and served themselves without paying attention to what was going on around them, and how put out she had been at having to wake up early the next morning, to help do the washing for all 12 inhabitants of the burrow. Mr. Weasley cleared his throat and murmured a small, "Eat Up," and the table seemed to come to life again.

Hermione was sitting in between Andromeda and Charlie, who were having a spirited discussion on the pro's ad con's of Dragon hide. Andromeda was all for, having seen how useful it had been to Tonks and the other Aurors, while Charlie seemed to be torn. In his line of business, he used it for protection from the flames, but was very much against wearing it just for fashion.

Luna, on the other side of Andromeda has trapped Mr. Weasley into a conversation on Heliopaths, with Mr. Weasley looking quite bemused at the dottie girl. Hermione looked across from her where Harry say with his arm around Ginny, who was looking lovingly at Teddy, and she saw her best friend staring adoringly at Ginny. A warm feeling seemed to be wrapped around the table, and the thought barely entered Hermione's mind that she cold really get used to this, this post-war life, when she heard it. A shrill screeching noise went through the air, and everyones hands immediately went up to their ears to try to shield them from the noise. Teddy woke from his slumber, his little round face screwing up in terror as he started to wail his displeasure. Mr. Weasley waved his wand and the noise stopped.

"That would be the alarm. George must have set it off. It did the same thing last time he got upset," said Bill, looking from Fleur to Victoire. "He tried to apparate out of his room, forgetting about the wards. Dad?" He looked at his father who still had his arm raised. He looked at his oldest son and nodded, and they took off into the night to go reset it.

Fleur tried to console her daughter, and Harry and Ginny took turns blowing kisses on Teddy's face to try and calm him.

The noise at the table started up again, but two minutes later, Mrs. Weasley came down flustered and red. "What in Merlin's name was that? Who set the wards off?" She looked around the room, demanding and answer, and when none was provided for her, she raised her wand threateningly. "Mum, we thought it was you or George. We thought he tried to apparate out again," said Ron quickly, trying to crouch behind Harry, eying his mothers still-raised wand.

Mrs. Weasley shook her head, brow furrowed and looked at them all confused for a second, when they heard the loud explosion from the garden.

Yells and shouts came from just outside the door, before it flew open, and there stood Bill, white as a ghost. Fleur jumped up and ran to him, and as soon as her hand touched him, he turned to her and grabbed it. "Fleur, get Victoire and leave. Don't worry, just go." His eyes scanned the room, before he lunged out at Harry and tried to pry Teddy from his grip. "Bill? What are you doing, stop!" Harry looked angrily at Bill, before the older man turned to him and gave him a look that chilled Harry to the bones. Outside a flash of light and a bang called their attention, and Harry knew. "He'll be safe?" Bill nodded to him, and Harry turned to Ginny and said, "Gin, go with Fleur and take Teddy, I'll be along in-,"

"Harry Potter, if you think for one second I'm leaving, you don't know me at all." She looked at him with wide hurt eyes, before he nodded meekly at her and turned to Andromeda. "Harry, dear, I'm going to pretend I didn't see you turn to me just now expecting me to leave. Hand him over to Fleur, he'll be alright." Ron, Charlie, Luna and Percy had left the kitchen through the back door, and the flashes of light and ear-splitting bangs began to get closer, and more frequent. Harry turned to Fleur, who gave him a shaky smile, and reached out for Teddy with her other arm. The second she had him tucked away safe, she apparated away with a loud crack. Bill turned and rushed outside Mrs. Weasley and Andromeda following, when George's voice spoke from just behind Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione. "Oi, did Fleur just apparate? What happened to the wards?" They turned to answer him, when the back door burst open with a flash of light, and fire seemed to spread. "OUT!" George bellowed, looking for his little sister and dragging her with him. All of them got outside and sighed with relief, and turned to grin at each other. When they looked around though, their blood ran cold.

The cause of the mysterious flashing lights was before them, in the form of Lucius Malfoy, Death Eater. Behind him and across the lawn, Hermione saw the Weasleys, Andromeda, and Luna battling dozens more. She turned back to stare at Lucius, his pointed face contorted with hatred. Before any of them could respond, he tutted, raised his wand, and a flash of light came streaking from it, directly at Harry.


	4. Chapter 4

Hermione stared at Lucius for a second, mouth hanging open. After the battle of Hogwarts, him and his family had fled, last being heard from in Ghent, heading to Brussels. But now, seeing him here in Devon, Hermione realized just how dangerous it had been to let him go at all. Harry had been convinced that the miles in between would be a large enough barrier, and Lucius would have no reason to return, having lost everything here, but it seemed Lucius had different ideas.

"Really 'Mione, what does he have left? His Gringotts account has been suspended and his Manor seized, any influence he would have had here is gone. He's not coming back, and we'll probably never even see him again." His words, carelessly thrown across the kitchen table, had done little to suppress her worry, but finding no other points to argue, she let the mater drop.

She, however had sided with Ron, who had been convinced that he would never be out of their lives, that it wasn't in Lucius' nature to slip away and fade into the woodwork. His way of saying it however, were much more colorful than that. She had even laughed whole heartedly when Mrs. Weasley overheard him commenting on it to Harry, and had proceeded to chase him around the kitchen, levitating a wooden spoon menacingly at him. After that, the topic had not reemerged.

Hermione was brought back from her head as she saw Lucius' wand raise, his mouth twisting to form words. A shrill scream rang out through the night, cutting through the sounds of battle, and she didn't know if the sound emanated from her mouth or Ginny's. Before any of them could move or react, the flash of red light flew from Lucius' wand and hit Harry squarely in the chest. He flew backwards into the stone wall of The Burrow, wincing at the heat coming from the blazing fire that was the kitchen. Hermione looked on in horror as he slid to the floor, a look of pain crossing his face.

"Harry, no!" screamed a panic-stricken Ginny, and she rushed to his side, throwing herself on his oddly bent body.

"Get up you useless boy," sneered Lucius.

Around him, Ron, George and Hermione raised their wands, advancing on him.

"Lower your wands. Had I wanted him dead, I would have done so the second he came out that door. Surely The Boy Who Lived can take a mild stupefy, or have you gone soft Mr. Potter?" He addressed the last part to a gasping Harry, who was picking himself off the floor, a look of confusion on his face.

"You all right mate?," asked Ron, never taking his eyes away from Lucius.

"Yea, he was right. If I hadn't tripped over those Wellington's, and into the wall, I barely would have felt it." Harry's eyes narrowed at Lucius, but before he could say anything else, a bolt of blue light came from behind Lucius, barely missing Ginny's shoulder. Without even turning to see where it had come from, Lucius fired another shot of red right into Rons stomach, taking advantage of his momentary lapse of concentration to shoot an exploring look at his sister behind him. The beam of light threw Ron back several feet, but just like Harry, he seemed to sustain more damage from the fall, than from the actual curse.

George looked on in horror, his face turning sheet white. His hand dropped to his side and his knees seemed to crumble underneath him. He sat looking dumbly at his brother, even as the latter bounded to his feet again, glaring at Lucius.

"What are you playing at?," roared Ron, his face turning a horrible shade of white-washed pink in the moonlight.

"Ignorant as always, aren't you, you poor slow boy. Don't you think if I had meant to harm any of you, I wouldn't have done it already? Aren't you listening at all you ignoramus?" Lucius sneered down at Ron, who had crouched by his brother's side and was trying to haul him to his feet. "Leave him. It will draw less attention that way."

The fight behind Lucius continued, and instead of the red jets of light that had so far come from Lucius' wand, all of the one's from the death eaters behind them seemed to be all green. A loud ear-splitting crack echoed through the garden and an old Spruce that had been standing next to the path that lead to the front door of the Weasley's house came crashing down, breaking off weather vanes, and shattering windows as it came to a rest against the already unstable looking house. Hermione gazed in shock at the wreckage caused by one tree, but her thought were cut off, as she felt, what seemed to her like someone punching her in the gut with a pillow as a barrier. Her eyes flew back to Lucius with surprise, as she stumbled back, tripping over Ron, who was still trying to pull George to his feet. She fell to the ground beside them in an undignified heap, looking around in bewilderment at he scene in front of her.

Across the garden, Bill and his father were standing back to back, dueling 3 dark cloaked men, while Luna was dancing across the lawn, shooting spells at one, while dodging the green jets of light coming from another. Neville was not to far from Luna, and seemed to be trying to keep close to the graceful girl, but was fighting off 2 of his own tormentors. Andromeda stood in the middle of the group, laughing gleefully, fighting off at least 5 Death Eaters, with more queuing around her. In the pale moonlight, and the growing glow or the fire, she looked eerily like her sister, surrounded by chaos and spells flying through the air. Hermione gave an involuntary shudder, as Andromeda sent a Death Eater flying away, only to have two more take his place.

Mrs. Weasley was nowhere to be seen.

"Ron, go help Bill and your dad, Ginny, see if you can't get Luna's attention and try to help 'Dromeda. Please. I'll be there in a second." Harry had gone to Ginny, who turned to face him with a look that made Hermione sure she was going to argue against it, but as the imploring and helpless look that was on Harry's face became more pronounced, Ginny nodded, squeezing his hand tightly before grabbing her brother by his arm and walking away, leaving Harry standing in front of Lucius, and George and Hermione still on the wet ground.

"Still trying to be the Hero? How lucky for us all," sneered Lucius. "I had rather wondered if defeating the dark lord would further inflate your already puffed up ego, but I thought, surely, it cannot get any larger than it already is. It seems I was.. Mistaken." His eyes flashed dangerously, and Hermione felt that somewhere in his words, there was a double meaning.

"Well, it wouldn't be the first time you've been wrong. What are you doing here anyways Malfoy? I thought you'd run off with your tail between your legs after I sent you packing?," Harry retorted angrily, drawing his wand quickly from the pocket of his jeans. "Come back for more, or have you and your pals forgotten what happened to your precious Lord-,"

"Be quiet you insolent boy!," hissed Lucius, his face screwing up in displeasure. "You know not what you speak of, and you're forgetting that up until this point, I've spared your life, as well as the lives of all your little friends. I doubt my," he paused, "companions... would be so inclined to do the same."

"You're the one that brought them here in the first place Malfoy! What is your purpose here? Just come to cause mayhem and strife, as if you haven't done enough of that?"

Lucius' face seemed to sag just the slightest bit as he regarded Harry with a superior look. "Truth be told Potter, I require something of you."

"What do we have left that you could possibly want now Malfoy? Haven't you taken enough from us?" Hermione rose to her feet, stepping over George as she advanced on him, wand out. "Don't you think we've given enough to you, and now you show up with a band full of Death Eaters, trying to kill us all, but just because you hesitated to kill us just yet, you feel you've earned the right to ask us for something?"

"Sit back down you foolish girl. The men are talking." Without breaking eye contact with Harry, Lucius waved his wand lazily at her, causing her to fall right back to the ground, yet this time, she seemed unable to open her mouth.

"You see Mr. Potter, I've lost something and I think you know where it is. As I'm sure you know, my wife, Draco and I had decided to travel to our estate in Brussels for some time, but before we reached our destination, I was... called back." He paused, listening to the commotion behind him, never looking away from Harry. Behind him, Luna dodge a streak of dull blue that had been sent her way by the larger of the two hooded figure's that Andromeda was currently fighting off.

Hermione snorted. She had been trying in vain to open her mouth again, and up until this point, Lucius' spell seemed to be holding fast, but at that comment, it seemed to unstick itself. The way he said it made it sound like it had been his idea to leave England, as if they were simply going on holiday. "Mr. Malfoy, what exactly is it of yours Harry's supposed to have?"

Lucius tensed, as though it physically pained him to have her speak to him. "As I was saying, Mr. Potter,-"

"Hermione asked you a question. Don't ignore her." Harry's eyes flashed at the tall man, whose platinum blond hair was glowing in the moonlight, reflecting the colors of the chaos behind him. Lucius never turned to acknowledge Hermione, but continued to address Harry in front of him.

"As I was saying Mr Potter, I have ben searching for my possession for the past 3 days, and it eludes me. I know you are aware of its location, and if you will not tell me voluntarily, I'll just have to find another way to extract it from you." He fingered his wand almost threateningly, but Hermione thought that she saw a flicker of fear in his eyes, or was it worry? She blinked in confusion, and shook her head, but when she looked at him again, all emotion had gone from his face.

"Mr. Malfoy," said Harry through gritted teeth, "I can not help you locate the item you're looking for, if you do not tell me what it is."

Lucius looked up sharply at Harry, his lip curled back in clear disdain for the boy standing in front of him. His hand tightened on his wand, and he began to advance heavily upon Harry, opening his mouth, to speak or to spell, Hermione wondered wildly, but before Lucius could utter one syllable, a ear-splitting boom came from behind him, sending a blast of hot air over the four figures. They all turned wildly to see the cause, and were shocked to see a small crater in the middle of the Weasley's garden. It was roughly the size of 's old Ford Anglia, two times as deep, and filling fast with swirling black water. Yells and shouts came from both sides, and Hermione saw Bill rush to help Ron, who seemed to have lost his wand, and was wrestling on the ground with a Death Eater, whom Bill stunned and pushed off of his brother. Luna, who had been the closest to the swirling pit, turned and scrambled away, all the while continuing to fire spells over her shoulders at the Death Eater right behind her. Neville rushed to Luna's side and tried to drag the girl from the ground, away from the growing hole. All around them, there where loud _Cracks_ , as hooded figure after hooded figure, disappeared into whirls of smoke, vanishing into the night.

Lucius looked back at Harry, who had lowered his wand and was looking around desperately trying to locate his family, and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. "Listen to me, boy, if I find out that you know where my crown is, and you are not telling me, I will make you rue the day, I will give you one last chance to return to me what is mine. You have three days, or I shall be sure to find you and burn everything in my path."

He dropped Harry's collar, and took two steps back before raising his wand to disappear again, but before he did, Hermione heard him say softly and poisonously, "If you are questioned by anyone about this encounter Potter, it never happened, and you simply battled another masked figure tonight. It would be.. beneficial."

There was a sharp _Crack_ , and Lucius was suddenly gone.

* * *

 **I'm sorry this chapter took so long to get here! I have no excuses! DX**

 **I know today is either the second or third day back to school for some people, so good luck on this year! I myself woke up yesterday in a panic, until I realized I graduated 3 years ago, so I cuddled back under my blanket and slept till 10. ;)**

 **As always, if you spot any** **egregious errors, or gaping plot holes, please please do not hesitate to let me know!**


	5. The Pit

**DX Oh my gosh! Can it be that a month has already passed me by and I have yet to post another chapter? Say it ain't so!**

 **T_T It has though! I offer my never ending apologuies, and I promise, it will never happen again! I can give you all my excuses, Busy home life, taking nigh classes, internet is shady af, but in the end, all that matters is that the new chapter is here!**

* * *

Hermione stood there in disbelief at what had just happened. Had Lucius Malfoy really just showed up, asked them for their cooperation, and then refused to properly hex them? Surely not. She stared forward, unmoving, not hearing a thing Harry was saying to her as he tried to get her to focus on him, gently shaking her shoulders. She finally snapped to consciousness, eyes darting around her, trying to focus on Harry's voice instead of the thick smoke that seemed to be everywhere.

"Hermione, you've got to move! Hermione!"

Her eyes finally met his, and he paused for a split second before saying in a calmer, more soothing voice, "Hermione, it's alright. They're gone. Please, I need for you to help me with George, I can't get him to move, and the kitchen looks ready to go."

Ahh, the kitchen. So that's where the smoke was coming from. I remember now. Hermione's thought were sluggish and confused. She felt as it she'd been hit by an Obliviate, and the sharp steady pounding in her head was matched only the rapid beats of her racing heart.

She looked down at her side and saw that indeed, George had not moved from the ground next to her, where he had slumped when Lucius' faux spell hit Ron, knocking him over. Harry turned, keeping a worried eye on Hermione still, while saying in a loud voice, "Aqua Eructo," aiming the jet of water at the still blazing kitchen behind them. Even though he stood only 5 feet from her, his voice was still slightly muffled by the roar of the blazing fire, and another louder, deeper roar coming from behind her. She turned, almost tripping over George again, searching for the sound coming from the darkness.

It did not take long for the source to be located. The giant pit of swirling black water was churning dangerously, seeming to grow larger by the second. Indeed, as she watched, she saw it swallow the large Spruce tree that had fallen during the battle, the mass of tangled tree branches disappearing easily, as if being swallowed by a large mouth. Hermione slowly realized, if they did not get this under control, it could swallow the entire Burrow. She looked around wildly, searching for someone to confirm this with, but save George, she was alone.

She looked back down at the familiar red-head, his usually cheery face, blank and unfeeling. His eyes stared straight through her, as if oblivious to the commotion and the noise that surrounded him. His pale face was ashen, and there was no light in his eyes. It was a look she had grown used to in the past few days.

She sighed heavily, pushing back on the emotions she could feel ready to burst through her barriers. She placed a soft hand on the back of Georges back, leaning over to him, and placing her face next to his, and murmured just loud enough for him to hear over the fire and water, "George, I don't know if you can hear me, but if you can, I'm going to take you somewhere safe. Try not to fight it." She stood back up, drawing her wand which had been stowed up her sleeve, and aimed it at George. She waited a second to see if he was going to respond to her words, but he did not stir. She cast a Petrificus Totalus, and grimaced at the sight of him going rigid and stiff, but his eyes seemed to be looking at something not there.

She levitated him about 50 meters away, setting him down gently, away from the pit and swirling smoke. She looked back around, trying to decide if Harry needed her help battling the fire, or if her efforts would be better spent trying to find a way to banish the black pit.

Her decision was made for her however when she heard yelling coming from the pit, Ron's voice in particular. "MUM!" Hermione's head jerked around, eyes being drawn to a group of people, flashes of light streaking through the air again. She looked down at George again, deciding it would be better to leave him immobilized while she went and help. She told herself it would be better for him, lest he come to alone, and wander away from the fire and commotion. Behind her, another strangled yell brought her back to the moment, and throwing one last look at Georges still shape, she turned and raced over to her family, her heart beating faster and more erratically with each step she took. She got to the edge of the group, and it stopped.

Mrs. Weasley was not moving. Her arm seemed to be bent behind her, and her face was swelling slightly. She was ghostly pale in the moonlight, glowing with the deathly pallor of a corpse. From her distance, Hermione could not see if she was breathing. Besides her, her wand lay a meter away, out of reach. She did not respond to the screams coming from her family.

Hermione vaguely became aware of the commotion around her. Mr. Weasley was struggling against his oldest and youngest son. Bill had his arms wrapped around his middle, while Ron seemed to be trying to pull his wand from his fathers grasp, while also keeping ahold of his upper torso.

"Molly! Molly, please! MOLLY!"

She could not understand why they did not let him go to his wife. She looked at Percy next to her, who had an arm around Ginny, both of them looking at Mrs. Weasley with a twisted look on their face. She turned back to the woman who held them all together, frustrated that no one was going to go down their to check on her, and started walking to her, wand out stretched. Suddenly, she felt a pair of thick, strong arms catch her around her middle, and pull her back into, what felt like a tree trunk. Startled, she sent back a stinging hex, hoping to shake off whoever it was that had ahold of her. Her mind raced, and she wondered wildly if they had missed a Death Eater, and if so, why no one had noticed one right next to them.

She heard a low, dark chuckle from her captor, and then a voice, "Now really Hermione, did you think that would hurt anymore than a Horntail would?"

Oh. Just Charlie. She blushed, and was about to apologize to him, when she remembered what he was keeping her from. "Charlie! Your mum! I've got to go help her!"

"No. Hermione, it's too dangerous, look."

She swiveled back around, peeved at him for doubting her, but then froze. In her haste to locate Mrs. Weasley, she had not noticed the still growing, swirling black pit of water, only half a meter from Mrs. Weasley's body. Along the rim of the pit, pieces of the ground were crumbling and falling into the inky water, disappearing instantly. Hermione let out a gasp of shock as the ledge Mrs. Weasley was on grew smaller and smaller. She looked around at the others standing there. None of them seemed willing to cross the point in front of them. Indeed, Hermione felt an almost barrier like presence from the space immediately in front of her. Freeing one arm from Charlie's grasp, she whipped out her wand tried to levitate Mrs. Weasley's body closer to the group, only to have the hole grow instantly bigger, bringing Mrs. Weasley closer to the edge. She instantly stopped the spell, cursing herself for not think of the probability of that happening. She heard Percy mutter to Bill, "I think if one of us goes out there, our extra weight might cause it to crumble faster." Bill nodded and Mr. Weasley's breath hitched. Hermione jumped as she felt a small, cold hand touching hers, and she looked down to see Ginny's face shining with tears and squeezed her friend's hand back, interlocking their fingers.

They all stood there, at a loss for what to do to save their matriarch. Hermione struggled to wipe the moisture that had appeared on her face, wiggling to free her other arm from Charlie's hold. She turned and saw that Ron had wrapped his arm around his sister, and had seemed to have collapsed into sobs against his eldest son. The shelf grew smaller and smaller. She closed her eyes.

She tried to block out Mr. Weasley's mournful sobs.

She thought of the woman who had welcomed her into her home, like a second mother.

She thought of the woman who might one day be her mother in law, real family.

She thought about the hole that Molly would leave not only in her life, but the lives of every single Weasley member.

She tried to remember a single moment in time, other than the loss of her parents, that she had ever felt so helpless. Being Harry and Ron's friend had shown her more than her fair share of miracles. Knowing that help wasn't coming, knowing that this was the end of the Weasley matriarch was am ache that knocked the wind from her.

She tried not to let the hole in her chest stop her breathing, but Merlin, it hurt.

Suddenly, she felt Charlie's grip loosen, and she heard a gasp from Ginny. Her eye's flew open, and she felt her stomach drop in anticipation of what she was sure she would not see anymore.

Instead, she did see something. Or rather, two somethings. Mrs. Weasley was still perched precariously on the ledge, but streaking across the edge of the pit, seeming to shimmer as if not really there, was-

"Fred!" Ginny cried out, pulling against Percy, whose face went slack, arms falling to his side. And indeed, darting toward Mrs. Weasley, was the familiar face they had all been missing.

Surely it can't be... But I left George Petrified.. It can't be! Hermione's thoughts were confused and jumbled as she watched this new apparition getting closer and closer, trying to grab at his mother. There was no way that he could have dissolved her spell on his own, much less, while he was wandless. When he had finally reached within two meters of her however, the lip of the pit seemed to crumble away under him. Beside her, Ginny gasped and Charlie's hand seemed to tighten around Hermione almost to the point of pain, but she hardly noticed. The Fred-like apparition jumped back and paused, seemingly thinking to himself, before giving a triumphant wicked grin, and falling to his stomach, crawling the last length to his mother, grabbing her around her by her ankle, and slowly dragging her back from the water's edge.

The Weasley's seemed to all be fighting with themselves not to run out to them, not wanting to put extra and unnecessary weight on the already unstable ground, so they all stood there and waited.

Now that Mrs. Weasley was away from the lip of the pit, Fred- no, she wouldn't let herself think that yet, _he_ let her ankle go, wrapped one arm around her waist, and started the long crawl to where they all stood huddled. Hermione looked at The Man Who Could Not Be Fred, as he crawled closer and closer.

For one brief second, Hermione wondered if she need go and fetch George. Surely he would never forgive the lot of them for allowing him to miss this. He had been so down lately, and just seeing the ear-splitting grin on the face steadily crawling towards them would surely do well to improve his spirits, apperation though it may be.

She could not bring herself to break away however. His smile was like a balm to her soul, and she doubted she, or any of the family at her side would soon forget this moment. She heard the dry sounds of someone sobbing next to her, and when she turned to shoot Ginny a quick comforting look, she realized it was not the only Weasley girl, but Percy. He never looked away from his brother crawling to them, and the look of raw emotion on his face was enough to bring a stinging to her eyes as well. As she turned back to marvel at the sight before her, she noticed Mr. Weasley and Ron also letting pure emotion leak from their eyes.

Of course, she had known the toll that loosing Fred had taken on the whole family, but when she thought of it, which was not often, as who wants to think about such pain, she thought of George, and all the suffering he must be going through. But standing next to 6 sobbing Weasley's, there was no doubt in Hermione's mind, that they too, cried to themselves of all they had lost. He was not just a twin to George, but a brother, and son to them all.

As Mrs. Weasley and The Man Who Could Not Be Fred drew closer, only about five meters away now, there was a slight rumble, and the shelf that Mrs. Weasley had been on, crumbled and disappeared into the pit.

Four meters. Percy seemed to be choking back hysterics. His mouth formed his brother's name over and over again.

Three. Ginny and Ron fell to the ground together, kneeling but not moving a centimeter forward. They cried their mothers name softly, while Percy continued to fight back his own.

Two. They were so close now. It was hard not to just run out to meet them, but Hermione did not want to chance breaking the barrier with them so close.

One. If she just reached as far as she could, she was sure that she would be able to just graze them both. She could feel the anticipation squeezing her heart. She longed to physically touch this person in front of her, who could not be Fred Weasley. She knew it could not be.

Half a meter away, and Percy gave a loud cry of frustration, and leaned on his hands and knees to grab the cuff of his brothers jacket, and dragged them both closer. Bill leaned over and grabbed his mother under her arms and pulled her to him and his father, who was now sobbing with a new-found relief. Bill, Charlie, Percy, Ron and Ginny were all looking at their brother standing in front of them. No one moved or said a word.

Suddenly, Ginny jumped up from the ground beside her brothers, wrapped her arms around the one standing in front of her, and sobbed into his jumper. "Oh Fred!" Her voice was muffled into his chest, but listening as hard as they were, they all heard. The figure in front of them turned from looking at his mother to his sister. A look of resignation swept over his face. He absent-mindedly pushed his sweaty hair back that had been plastered against his forehead.

He was missing an ear.

Hermione's heart dropped. She had know it was foolish to hope, and that realistically, it was impossible for it to be Fred. But my, how she had hoped. A wave of fresh grief washed over her, and she felt Fred's loss anew. His absence was something that they had all felt constantly, and to have that little piece of hope, however preposterous and farfetched it had been, dangled in front of them, only to have it snatched away seemed almost as heatwreanching as losing him the first time.

"Gin, er, I'm not-," started The Man Who Would Never Be Fred. He shifted uncomfortably, wrapping his arms around her uncertainly.

There was the slightest pause as he seemed to struggle to find the words to say to her. He swallowed a lump that seemed to have settled in his throat.

"I know."

He nodded. Hermione looked away, feeling that this was not a moment to be intruding on.

A great shuddering sob brought them all back. They looked over at Mr. Weasley, who was still cradling Molly's head, rubbing her arm and shaking her softly, trying to wake her. They all gathered around her, and Hermione was relived to see the steady rise and fall of Mrs. Weasley's chest as long, deep breaths came from her slightly agape mouth. She sat there on the cold, wet ground with her family, grateful for the life that had been saved, but still mourning the one that could not.

Suddenly, a voice rang out from somewhere behind them, breaking the tranquility. "Oi! What's going on over here?" Harry and Andromeda came rushing towards them, glancing from the chaotic pit of water still churning and devouring the ground around it, to Ginny sobbing into George's chest, his eyes finally coming to a rest on Mrs. Weasley's pale face. He no doubt noticed everyone's grimy, tear streaked face, but he said nothing.

He crouched down next to his girlfriend, and squeezed her hand, but must have sensed that he was not the one she needed at the moment, for he gave George a knowing nod, then turned to Hermione to make sure she was alright. It was then that she noticed his soot-steaked face. "Is it out?," she whispered to him, not wanting to draw attention away from Mrs. Weasley.

"The kitchen is gone. Not much we could do to save it, but everything else seems to be fine. Luna and Neville are inside right now. One of their lot got left behind, so we have him Stupified, and I just came to tell you all that we were planning on waking him up, see what he knows about all of this."

He had said it in a whisper, but Hermione could see half of the Weasley clan craning their necks, listening to what had been said.

Hermione opened her mouth to respond, but a creaking sound, followed but the splashing of, yet another section of the Weasley's garden falling into the pit of water.

"What in the world is this? Did they leave that behind? How are we going to get rid of it?" The Weasley's questions all came out in a rush. Now that their mother was safely out of harms way, they seemed to have turned their attention to the problem at hand.

"What if it keeps getting bigger? It's going to swallow the Burrow." Ron yelled over his family. They all looked at the pit, growing quiet again, no doubt wondering how to save their beloved home.

"They left this here?" Andromeda's voice was barely loud enough to be heard over the roaring of the pit, but all eyes turned to her and there were murmurs of yes and nods all around.

She pursed her lips and raised her wand sending a bolt of orange light towards the pit. Nothing happened. Harry had just turned back to her and started murmurs of reassurance when Hermione nudged him in the ribs and pointed. It was as if a giant stopper had been pulled in the middle of the pit. The swirling black water's level was quickly receding, and the dull roaring of the unholy pit seemed to be dying down. The pit, now wider around than the burrow, was being emptied, leaving nothing but a giant crater being. Everyone turned to Andromeda, questions in their eyes, but she merely shrugged and said shortly, "That used to be a specialty of Bella's." Without another word, she turned and started the short walk back to the Burrow, leaving the group behind. Once she had made it about halfway there, she turned over her shoulder and called back to the stunned group, "Neville would like to wake him up. He's getting a bit antsy. Best hurry up you lot."

This seemed to rouse them. Ginny, who still clung to George, tears streaking her face, began to stand wobbly, helped up by Percy, while George tugged halfheartedly at her fingers, trying to disentangle himself. Ron and Bill grabbed Mr. Weasley under the elbows, and lifted him to his feet as Charlie gathered his mother in his arms, and began trudging back behind Andromeda.

Not one to be left out, Harry jumped up, helping Hermione to her feet while casting an uncertain look over at his girlfriend, who still seemed to be permanently attached to her brother. Hermione linked arms with him, bringing him back from his own mind. He shot a small smile at her, and they turned to follow Charlie up the path to the Burrow.

Hermione knew what it was to have the one you love hurt, with a heartache you had never known. She knew how it felt to know that while your presence was comforting, it would never be you that could fill that hole. After Fred had died, she had sat with Ron in the Great Hall all night, just hoping that he would cry or yell or show some kind of emotion, so that she could try to help him. But rather than let his walls down, he had busied himself with other survivors, helping them cope with their feelings, rather than accept his own. She had known at the time that it was cathartic to help others, but how she had yearned to be the one who could help him. There had been times when she had walked into his room or the kitchen, only to have conversation stop, and Ron would turn and surreptitiously wipe his eyes or even leave the room altogether. She had tried to not let it affect her feelings, but it stung a little more every time. Harry and her had never had brothers or sisters. They would never quite understand.

The only thing she could do right now for him, and the only thing Harry would be able to do, was wait. Wait, and hope that one day, they would be able to talk about it. Today however, was not that day. So, for the time being, she would be content to know that Ron had his remaining brothers and sister to comfort him. She would continue waiting in the wings or him.

Harry guided them past the smoldering kitchen, and to the side door that led into the Burrows cramped living room. They ducked in through the door, and heard Charlie tell Andromeda, "I'm going to take her upstairs. She doesn't need to be here for this part. Don't wait for me, I'll be back as soon as dad goes up."

Hermione looked around, wondering what they were talking about, when she remembered Andromeda saying that they were going to wake up the Death Eater that had been let behind. She looked around wildly for him, when her eyes landed on Luna sitting on the arm of Neville's chair, a faint blush across his face. She mentally tucked that away for later use, and continued looking around.

"He's right here Hermione. We took his robes off of him to make sure he wasn't hiding anything. It's amazing how different he looks without his robes and mask. Why, he could fit in with anyone of us." Luna's lilting voice startled Hermione, who turned to see that Luna had not even turned to look at her. In fact, she seemed to have turned to ace Neville, her delicate fingers pulling gently through his hair, causing his blush to deepen to an almost beet red. Indeed, on the other side of Neville, slumped against the wall, seemingly asleep, was a man she did not recognize. He blended in with everyone else who was now filling the room. His clothes looked frayed, and secondhand. There were dark circles around his eyes that made it seem as though he had not slept in days, while his face and hands were covered in scars ranging from the size of a knut, to a large gash along his hairline. The left side of his face looked as though it had been slammed into a wall repeatedly.

Had she not known his face immediately, she would have thought him one of them. Besides her, Harry shook with anger, and stepped forward to talk with Neville in a low, dark voice. his arm was replaced by Ginny's, whose other arm was still linked with George's. She looked up at him and gave him a meek smile. He gave her a wan, half grin, though it did not reach his eyes. She opened her mouth to ask him how he had freed himself, when Harry stood up straight, nodded, and said, "Let's wake him up then."

With a wave of his wand, thick chain's erupted from Neville's wand, and wrapped themselves around the man's arms and legs, securing him to the wall. He pulled a vial of clear water like liquid, Veritaserum, from his pocket, and tipped it down the unconscious man's throat. He extended his arm, pushing Luna, Hermione and Ginny back, while Harry stepped to his side, and muttered the counter curse under his breath.

At once, the man before them sprung to life, his eyes flying open, and his hands jerking against his restraints. He struggled for a few seconds, then realizing it was futile, became still. "So it's to be torture then." His voice was raspy and harsh, though he sounded resigned to his fate. "You may throw everything you've got at me, but believe me, it'll be nothing compared to what he has waiting for me should I betray him."

* * *

 **Who is he talking about?!**

 **Again, I know this chapter is super late, bu** **t I have the next chapter 100% finished, and I will be updating next Tuesday, for sure. I can't wait, the story is finally getting started, and the real plot is coming soon.**

 **I hope this chapter has stood up to your ever high standards, and please, if anyone would like to join me in my pms, I will bring the ice cream if you bring tissue's and pepsi. (Team Fred for life)**

 **Please please please review and let me know what you think, if you have any plot bunnies you'd like to see, or anything else you feel I should know, DO NOT HESITATE**

 **Again, if you notice any egregious errors or gaping plot holes, please feel free to let me know! I'll see you all in a week! I promise!**


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